


Kern River Romance

by bittenfeld



Category: Bonanza
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Friendship/Love, Het, Love Triangles, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-23 15:05:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3772750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittenfeld/pseuds/bittenfeld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A girl has to choose between father and son.</p><p>Now she looked at Joe, while he stared out into the darkness.  He was handsome.  She felt a sudden urge to touch his dark curls, press herself against him, make love to him – at the same time, she wanted Ben.  Ben was the one she was going to marry.  Ben was the one she wanted to marry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kern River Romance

**Author's Note:**

> I once had a crush on Little Joe, but my huge crush was on Ben (okay, I admit, I’ve always had a thing for older men!) This is just an unfinished bit I wrote years ago when I was camping on the Kern River in California.

Late afternoon, so calm.

The creek lazed on by, placid. Somewhere in the distance white water roared, but here only the breeze lapped the water’s edge. A water bug hopped. The concentric circles married the smooth reflection of the trees lining the other bank. The sun warmed the still clear water. A tiny school of fish wiggled by.

The late morning sun hadn't discovered their sandy beach yet. Only a few rays filtered through the thick overhang of leaves and branches, played in shifting patches on the gingham picnic cloth

A splash jerked her head. “Oh, look – a fish!” She pointed to the circle of waves that splashed on the jutting stones. An orange dragonfly danced across her sight and disappeared into the greenery.

She exhaled a contented sigh. So peaceful.

A cork popped. She jumped.

Ben was grinning, champagne bottle in one hand, glass in the other. He poured the hissing liquid, then offered her the glass. “To my dear Allene – the only thing lovelier than this land.”

She smiled. “Ben Cartwright, already you’re getting poetic, and we’ve only known each other four weeks.”

“On the contrary,” Ben contradicted. “We’ve known each other for twenty-four years.” He poured himself a glass, then re-corked the bottle. Don’t you remember all the times you and your father visited when you were little? Why, I recall one time – you couldn’t have been more than five or six – you and Little Joe got into the loudest name-calling and fist-fight I’ve ever heard. As I re­member, Hoss finally had to rescue Little Joe.”

“But that doesn’t count.” She laughed. “All those times I was just a little girl. It’s only been on this trip that things have been… different.” She sipped her champagne, gazed out across the creek. “Why, you had a family – children – before I was even born. I’ll bet even Little Joe is older than I am.”

“By about three months,” Ben agreed. “Do you know, I believe this is the first time I ever competed with my sons for a lady’s attention.”

Again she smiled. “Oh, now, you know I’ve never really thought of the boys as anything but big brothers.”

“And I suppose you’ve never thought of me as anything but a father-figure.”

“Well, not anymore.”

While he sipped his drink, she watched his strong vein-ridged hands. Ranching had tough­ened them, calloused them, yet they seemed so gentle, so kind. The turned-back cuffs of his muslin shirt exposed white hairs on sun-browned arms. He looked so attractive.

She wondered why. He was right – always before she had thought of him as a father or an uncle. After all, whenever she and her father had visited before, she had been just a little girl. And furthermore, she’d never seen much of Ben on those visits anyway. The two men would disappear into the study with their glasses of brandy the whole time, while she would play outdoors with the boys. She had been eleven their last trip. In that time, Joe had grown a lot more attractive. But then, so had Ben.

“What are you thinking about?” Ben’s resonant voice interrupted.

“Oh, nothing – just remembering the passing years, too. It’s been a long time. I’m not a tom­boy anymore.”

“No. You’ve grown into a beautiful young lady. And I’ve grown into an old man. You know, you could have the attentions of all the young men in town.”

“And what would I want with some drifting cowboy whose only interest in life is his horse? I need someone I can talk to, someone who understands and appreciates the finer things in life.”

“Like enjoying a picnic with a lovely lady? If she doesn’t mind sharing her afternoon with an old man.”

“Ben Cartwright, stop that now! My father doesn’t see anything wrong with it – you know he thinks the world of you.”

“Well, I think the world of him. A better lawyer never practiced in this state. He’s a fine man. And your mother was one of the kindest women I ever knew.” Ben squinted across the creek. “You know, many years ago, Jake and I were considering a partnership on the Ponderosa. But then, your mother passed away when you were born, and Jake took you back East. I guess he wanted to forget all the memories out here. I missed his friendship very much.”

As Ben spoke, Allene found herself studying his face. It was lined, sunburned – the face of a man nearing sixty, who had spent most of those years outdoors. But in the chiseled planes of cheeks, jaw, brow, rested a quiet strength that attracted her almost irresistibly.

Her fingers ached to explore that face, to slip into the thick hair handsomely two-toned with age. Even though silver-whiteness had encroached on most of his hair, bleaching his temples, curling over his ears, the nape of his neck, one stubborn streak of black on top resisted change. A thick dark lock waved over his forehead. Both the black and the white contrasted starkly with his tanned face.

But what drew her most of all were the liquid dark eyes that gazed out beneath wiry grey brows with so much tenderness, so much understanding. Probably when he was angry they could glow like coals, impaling his adversary with a fiery stare. But now, as he looked at her, his gaze was gentle, quiet. And so dark, so dark.

Abruptly she realized he was looking at her. She glanced down. “I’m sorry,” she blurted. “I wasn’t listening.”

“Well, I shouldn’t be talking so much,” he chuckled. “I’m sure you’re not interested in my old memories. A young lady has more important things on her mind.” He reached a hand to cover hers. “You know, the Ponderosa seems much more like a home since you’ve come. It needs a woman’s touch. That house wasn’t built just for four men.”

”It’s such a beautiful house,” she agreed. Her eyes searched the landscape. “And I’ve never seen such beautiful country as this. I almost hate to go back home.”

Suddenly she realized that he had moved closer to her, his gentle gaze studying her quietly. She smiled a little self-consciously. She wanted him to hold her, kiss her. She wondered if he read her thoughts.

He seemed to. With a smile, he reached both arms for her, squeezed her once tightly; looked into her eyes. His hands moved slightly on her back. “Well,” he whispered, “I guess I’ll just have to have a word with your father – see if we can’t keep you a little while longer.”

Her arms slipped behind his neck. “I hope he says yes.”

“Well, he’s just going to have to.” Then his mouth came down on hers, pressing hard, as he squeezed her to his chest.

She returned the kiss as hard as she could. It was good. She felt emotionally charged. No other man’s kiss had ever affected her quite that way. She touched the silver hair at the back of his head. So soft, so light.

His mouth searched her lips.

“Uh, hi!” a new voice interrupted gaily from across the creek. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

Two heads snapped up.

Holding his hat, Little Joe raised his hand in greeting. “Mind if I join you two for a minute?”

Ben’s face tried to express the imminent explosion inside him. “Come on,” he called back politely, then added, “And I hope you fall in on the way over!”

Joe smirked, removed his boots and socks, and stepped into the shallow water. And almost slipped.

Allene tried not to laugh as he staggered across the rocky creek bottom, muttering all the while under his breath, until he splashed up onto the bank and limped over to their picnic blanket, boots in one hand, Stetson in the other.

“ ‘Afternoon, Miss Wheeler,” he greeted as civilized as possible under the circumstances. “Has Pa been tellin’ you stories? Y’know, you really shouldn’t be out alone with him – next time I’ll be glad to come along…”

Ben Cartwright let loose a sigh. “Miss Wheeler and I are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves. Now would you please make your point, Joseph, then leave before I…”

“See what I mean, Miss Wheeler? Pa can be downright ornery at time…”

“Ornery won’t describe what I’ll be if you don’t…”

“Now, hold on, Pa… just hold on.”

 **. . . . .**  
* * * * *

The night breeze was cool. The black expanse of the ranch spread out for miles all around her. It could be her ranch too – if she just said the word.

Is this what she really wanted? Conflicting thoughts teased her. It was such a big decision – the biggest she’d ever made in her life. Not only had the boys vied for her attention, but Ben did too, and now she was going to have to make a choice. If only it was just one of them… but she loved all of them. She could have said yes to any of them. At least she felt that Adam and Hoss were more playful in their attentions, just to give Joe a little competition. To them, she was probably still more of a little sister. But Joe was serious, and she could have willingly said yes to him, if it wasn’t for Ben. Joe was handsome, kind, young; Ben, also handsome, kind, not young anymore, but – no she couldn’t even compare them.

Gravel crunched under approaching bootsteps. It was Joe.

“Hi,” he greeted quietly, strolling over to the hitching rail to lean against it, close to her. “Nice out here, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” She wrapped her shawl tighter around herself, as the night wind picked up a little. “Your ranch is so beautiful, day or night.”

Joe was looking at her, as she gazed out across the land. “It’s your ranch too, now,” he remin­ded her.

“Joe, I…”

“Hey. You don’t have to say it. It’s all right.”

“Joe, I want to.” She shifted slightly so their clothing touched, rustled. “Ben means so much to me. I love him very much.”

“I know. But I love you too.”

She couldn’t answer.

For a long minute, they didn’t say anything. Now she looked at him, while he stared out into the darkness. He was handsome. She felt a sudden urge to touch his dark curls, press herself against him, make love to him – at the same time, she wanted Ben. Ben was the one she was going to marry. Ben was the one she wanted to marry.

She wondered how Joe felt just then. He looked at her and smiled, a little half-smile that tigh­tened one corner of his mouth. The lamp-light from the window flickered in his grey eyes, highligh­ted the planes of his face.

He reached for her hand, rubbed an idle thumb across her fingers. “Are you sure that’s what you really want?”

She squeezed his fingers. “Yes, I’m sure, Joe.”

He nodded quietly. “All right.”

“Joe. I care about you too. You know I do. What I really don’t want to do is come between you and your father. If my marrying Ben will be hard for you, if it means you’ll feel you have to leave, then I won’t do it. I’d rather go that hurt you – any of you.”

“No – no,” he urged quietly. “Don’t worry about me. Pa really needs you. That’s what’s important. You mean a lot to him – of course, you mean a lot to me too. I dunno, Pa’s been like a little kid ever since you arrived last month. Ever since my ma died twenty years ago, he just hasn’t found anyone he could really be happy with, not until just the last four weeks. He’s hoping you’ll stay. And if you do, well, Adam, Hoss, and me, well, we’re really happy for you.” Again the tiny smile pulled his lips. “And don’t worry, I’m not goin’ anywhere. I just feel kinda sorry for myself, I guess. I… just don’t think I’ll ever be able to see you as my step-mother.”

The he leaned his face close to hers, and she wondered if he was going to kiss her on the mouth like a lover.

Instead, he brushed his lips to her cheek with very brotherly affection.

Behind them, the sitting room curtains swung closed.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jake turned away from the window, took the proffered glass of brandy. “Well,” he grinned, raising his glass, “I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Yes,” Ben quickly agreed, “To you, for raising such a lovely daughter.”

“Well, she certainly couldn’t do any better than Benjamin Cartwright for a husband.”

“True – true,” Ben grinned with a wink. Then resting an arm around the shoulders of his old friend, added, “Oh, just one more thing, Jake. Even though I’m marrying your daughter, I hope you won’t feel it necessary to call me your, uh, son-in-law.”

Jake mirrored his grin. “I’ll, uh, try to remember. Oh, and don’t you dare call me your father-in-law, or I might just give you back that punch in the jaw I still owe you.”

. . . . . .


End file.
